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Greetings!
I was wondering what you guys do for a living, whether you work a lot, whether you feel a lot of stress in your daily lives, and how you cope with that and/or balance your work routine with your spiritual practice. How important is your professional life to you?
As a custodian, I'm able to go largely ignored, which suits me well. Otherwise, the simple work and ease of interacting with (few) people mean that keeping people happy can often be relatively easy. There is regular downtime amidst periods of busy-ness, and walking around dusting and checking for minor things is a nice piece of mindful-awareness to practice while also expressing goodwill to the personnel working in that area, asking them if there's anything on their radar, as it were.
It's a bit like a modern monastic setting, which suits me very well by providing a supporting environment for ongoing, guarded awareness (it's also one of the few things going well at present, in fact, and the health insurance is not only very good, but also largely the reason I'm still able to be alive, given a couple chronic illnesses). Being introverted helps as well, and having a good friend as a roommate is also a great help.
So altogether, it's quite a helpful constellation of features which assist me with integrating my livelihood with the practice.
That sounds nice Dave. And I hope you are able to feel as comfortable as possible.
As a translator (of documents) I also don't have to talk to people or perform challenging tasks, which pleases me very much. However, I constantly fantasize about what it would be like to have an even simpler job, like cleaning, for instance. I also struggle with the fact that we are generally forced to work every day, for so many hours, and for so many years, that seems quite outrageous to me at times.
As a translator (of documents)
From/to what language do you translate? I just like languages so I'm curious.
I'm an engineer working in photolithography (the optical part of microchip making). I love the job though it's very demanding sometimes, I don't stress about work at all.
My personal life is a ball of stress though. I've a young child with a very difficult partner. We've separated & live apart but I find the animosity & hatred......very hard to deal with - there's something new every week.
I haven't practiced meditation for months. I actually find that trying it effectively brings on anxiousness, it's as if I have to confront my issues by not dwelling on them, whereas trying to forget them by doing other things (yes I know that's craving) helps more. I know that doesn't make sense & flies in the face of Buddhist practice.
Something I crave more than anything though is peace of mind. It will come but it seems illusive from here.
I translate to and from English, German, and Portuguese. I like languages too, but I'm not really passionate about my job, so it's a good thing that I don't work long hours. I have studied engineering for 3 years but then I quit, so that whole career thing doesn't interest me anymore.
It's nice that you do what you love, since you spend so much time doing it. I have a tendency to just get rid of things that stress me out, but since there's family involved I can imagine how things are more complicated than that for you.
Right now I'm not worried about putting a lot of effort into meditation or the 'path' either, I found that regardless of my state of mind it's always nice to just pay attention without trying to follow any practice specifically. In this respect giving up the search makes me feel more contempt. Maybe try not to judge yourself for doing whatever it is you do for distraction?
Genecanuck
08 Oct 16, 10:35
Hello all,
I manage community programs for a Health Centre and supervise staff who deliver various outreach and health promotion services. I am also very passionate about my work because I have a strong commitment to wanting to help people and address social inequality.
I am an introvert by nature but am in a very visible position. I came to Buddhism and mindfulness teachings because I am trying to find ways not to obsess about the details of my job. I have always been a worry wort by nature and realize that this is a kind of learned behavior that I fell into over time.
Letting go and letting live is something that I work with and struggle with all the time.. I realize that I am way too attached to my work and this is part of the problem. I am learning how to work to live and not simply living to work but this is a work in progress.:)
Empty Bowl
15 Nov 16, 08:34
I'm in the medical business, employed by a hospital in Washington State to make people breathe better. I see the whole gamut from asthmatic children needing breathing meds to the upper end of the gunshots, the traumas. the severe injuries that present at the Emergency Room. 12 hours a night, 6 or 7 nights in a row. Very hard to stay focussed 'in the moment' a lot of that time, and some days I just have to sit and review the day and ask "What was THAT all about"? But, I do get through and try not to bring my problems home. I'm more inclined to read a book to relax with a cat on my lap, quiet symphony music playing, or sometimes I go to the basement and practice jazz guitar on my own instruments. It all helps to move the pressure away and calm my mind.
Hey!
I was wondering what you guys do for a living
Software Engineer here. 20+ years. Currently I am designing systems to get a bunch of different companies' applications to talk to each other.
whether you work a lot
Mine varies. It can really consume you. A lot of guys get in, and burn out after a few years. You can't do 60-80 hours a week for years. I try really hard to keep the hours under 50.
whether you feel a lot of stress in your daily lives
Kind of the same answer. To be successful at this, you have to be driven, very analytical, and strong communication. Just doing the designing is kind of fun, and not really stressful, but meeting with stakeholders, getting requirements, setting expectations, etc. can be very much so.
How important is your professional life to you?
Moving your last 2 questions around... I often call this profession "golden handcuffs". I do not have a passion for it, if I was to win a lottery, that would be my last day of work. But, it is a lucrative profession and doing it allows me to afford to do a lot of things that I do enjoy and would not be able to afford to do if I went into some other career.
and how you cope with that and/or balance your work routine with your spiritual practice.
This is a constant struggle for me, and some of why I try to do Buddhist meditation. It's hard on the head, I'm often drained emotionally and intellectually by the end of the day. I've done manual labor where you come home and just collapse. This is like that. So, I *try* to meditate each morning and to keep mindful during the day. It is slow progress, but I think it's helping some. Just to quiet the racing mind a little is welcomed.
OK, that's me!
Peace,
-Dave
Genecanuck
16 Dec 16, 09:59
Good morning,
Anyone here coping with feeling super anxious at work because of having multiple to do lists with overlapping deadlines? Lately, I just feel like I am running from pillar to post and not keeping up. I know that all of this is in my "mind" and need to allow myself to create inner space to let things "flow" more.
I am curious to hear from others who are in pressure cooker situations at work and how you cope.
Trying to live the mantra today.... If I can't flee, flow!!
Have a good day.
Some gentle focus on one's breathing and taking slightly longer with the outbreath can be relaxing....
That and doing some metta practice (in the morning or after work) which begins with metta for oneself.
There are some metta resources in the second post ( #2) of this Buddhist meditation thread in our Study Links:
http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/showthread.php?356-Buddhist-Meditation
Genecanuck
17 Dec 16, 10:24
Some gentle focus on one's breathing and taking slightly longer with the outbreath can be relaxing....
That and doing some metta practice (in the morning or after work) which begins with metta for oneself.
There are some metta resources in the second post ( #2) of this Buddhist meditation thread in our Study Links:
http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/showthread.php?356-Buddhist-Meditation
Many thanks for this information Aloka.
Warm regards
Genecanuck
04 Jan 17, 11:15
Some gentle focus on one's breathing and taking slightly longer with the outbreath can be relaxing....
That and doing some metta practice (in the morning or after work) which begins with metta for oneself.
There are some metta resources in the second post ( #2) of this Buddhist meditation thread in our Study Links:
http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/showthread.php?356-Buddhist-Meditation
Thank you for this support Aloka.
Peace
Thank you for this support Aloka.
Peace
You're very welcome, Gencanuck. :hands:
:peace:
Genecanuck
04 Feb 17, 11:36
Hello Aloka,
I have been reviewing the links you shared here and reflecting on my work experiences. I am becoming aware that I am so attached to a lot of the drama that occurs in my work world. Drama that I find stressful but yet seem to be addicted to at the same time. What a weird kind of experience.
This past week, I have been working through multiple deadlines and competing priorities. The challenges do not lie in those deadlines but with my brain mentally constantly "processing" these deadlines and worrying that I don't have enough time to get all the work done. Then, when something new emerges that has to be accomplished in the moment, i add to this mental drama by experiencing more anxiety that I won't have time to get it done. Funny eh?
Trying to let be, let go, and let live.
:hands:
woodscooter
04 Feb 17, 11:47
...The challenges do not lie in those deadlines but with my brain mentally constantly "processing" these deadlines and worrying that I don't have enough time to get all the work done....
Don't forget that you are noticing your brain (a.k.a. your mind) in action, and not simply "suffering" from involvement in all the drama without any perspective. Keep on, keep on. :up2:
Genecanuck
05 Feb 17, 13:38
Don't forget that you are noticing your brain (a.k.a. your mind) in action, and not simply "suffering" from involvement in all the drama without any perspective. Keep on, keep on. :up2:
Thank you Woodscooter,
That is an important distinction.
:lol:
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